Navigating the Mergers and Acquisitions Minefield

by Scott Moeller, Chris Brady

Mergers and acquisitions have played a dominant role in shaping and reshaping the global corporate landscape in the last century. If the sheer numbers of deals aren’t grabbing headlines, the size and scope of the deals that are made cannot help but command the attention of investors world over. In Intelligent M&A, Moeller and Brady set forth a solid strategy for thriving in the high-stakes, high-stress environment for corporate mergers and acquisitions.

The 6 Best Practices of the World's Best Sales Teams

by Derek Gatehouse

Despite billions spent every year on personality profiling, sales training, motivation experts, coaches and incentives, there’s never been a proven formula for building a sales force of top performers. Author Derek Gatehouse argues that sales is about people, not a process. The Perfect SalesForce is a return to people –– different types of people who excel naturally in different types of sales jobs.

Why Too Many Products, Markets, and Customers are Crippling Your Company - And What To Do About It

by John Mariotti

Executives today face a crisis — a crisis of complexity. As you seek to expand profits, a number of new products, procedures and systems are created that, unexpectedly, stifle your bottom line. To this problem, Mariotti has the solution: simplify. In this far-reaching study, he shows corporate America that “keep it simple” is the way out of the Complexity Crisis.

How to Unleash the Power of Crowds in Your Business

by Jon Spector, Barry Libert

Many companies have benefited hugely from harnessing collective power. If you are willing to take on the challenge, you have a good chance of being handsomely rewarded. Communities can help companies invent new products and services, improve customer service, boost sales, turbo-charge manufacturing, tap into new sources of financing and make everyone a leader. This summary will show you how.

How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End

by Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Presidents, managers, coaches and even individuals have the power to choose how they deal with a loss, and whether they are going to allow it to be the beginning of a trend, or have the confidence to learn how to win next time. By studying winning and losing teams, companies and organizations, Harvard Business School Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter has found the keys to confidence and the way to find it when it is lost. Confidence presents the new theory and practice of success, and expl

How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat Into a Cultural Phenomenon

by Darren Rovell

First in Thirst chronicles the rise of the sports-drink industry and the near-monopoly that Gatorade has built and maintained through savvy marketing and branding strategies. In this summary, business journalist Darren Rovell offers an inside look at the negotiations, battles, lawsuits, mergers and acquisitions, product strategies, lucky breaks, and even the missteps that have attended Gatorade’s reign as the 800-pound gorilla of the sports-drink scene.

The Strategic Value of Customers in the Long Run

by Donald Lehmann, Sunil Gupta

In Managing Customers as Investments, business professors Sunil Gupta and Donald R. Lehmann offer a set of tools that shows you the correlation between your customer assets and the value of your firm. They explain the triggers that drive this value, and how to better manage your customers and, as a result, your shareholders’ wealth. They unlock the metrics, show you where you are and where you’re going, and provide you with the tools and tips to make your customer-related efforts more e